Abstract
Introduction The development of indices enables the accurate identification of issues by consolidating the key factors associated with an outcome, which in turn allows for better prioritization of risks. Therefore, the purpose of creating indices is to generate information that supports evidence-based analysis, facilitating accurate decision-making and addressing risks through an understanding of the underlying components, thereby allowing decision-makers to develop prevention strategies and programs. The objective of this research was to develop and validate an index using the statistical technique of "conjunctive consolidation" to assess factors related to the quality of work life (QoWL) among nursing staff, providing a simple method that can be applied for specific predictions or decisions. Methods A methodological study was conducted using "conjunctive consolidation" analysis to develop an index of exposure factors associated with unsatisfactory QoWL among nursing staff at a tertiary care hospital. The index was created by consolidating the associated factors and assessing validity through convergence with constructs such as perceived institutional safety, musculoskeletal disorders, and mental health outcomes for each consolidation, as well as by evaluating the index's performance using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results The consolidations used to develop the index were as follows: consolidation of psychosocial perception, comprising work alienation (odds ratio (OR): 3.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.9-7.4) and reports of family aggression (OR: 3.5, 95% CI: 1.6-8.0); consolidation of exposure due to work activity, comprising forced movements (OR: 4.16, 95% CI: 2.13-8.15) and overexertion (OR: 4.43, 95% CI: 2.20-8.92); and consolidation of exposure due to work instruments, comprising exposure to drug preparation dust (OR: 3.61, 95% CI: 1.79-7.27) and exposure to radiation (OR: 3.66, 95% CI: 1.80-7.45). The diagnostic capacity of the index score was demonstrated by an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.73-0.86, p < 0.001) on the ROC curve. Conclusions The development and validation of the index demonstrate that it can effectively measure QoWL among nursing staff and provide decision-makers with guidance on associated risks in hospital settings.